[ale] how do I make a custom linux install boot from cd

Sat Apr 13 16:20:26 EDT 2013

Hi Doug,

Thanks for the note.  I've configured one particular Mint machine for Litecoin mining.  Currently, it's running off of a hard drive.  I was mainly thinking of saving the entire system to a read only media so that I wouldn't have to worry about hard drive failures and backups.  The DVD is the backup.  I could make 2 or 3.  Also, I wouldn't have to worry about power failures corrupting the hdd since we have so many storms around here.  While I wouldn't run the unit during heavy storms, I might leave it running until the storms get a bit closer.  As it is, I have to shut the unit down on even the hint of a possible power failure.  If I was running from read only media, I just boot it back up, and I'm back where I was before.  The work it's doing is stored in the cloud, so I don't have to store anything locally.  If I could figure out the custom live DVD concept, I wouldn't even need hard drives in the system.  I might have them anyway, but it would be much less critical.  Thin client might work, but my other major machine runs windows most of the time for other reasons.  I don't know if it could be the central boot server for the Mint machine or not.  I sort of prefer to have both machines running independent OS's, so it doesn't take both down if one is down.  Putting a UPS on this thing is not very cost effective since I'm pulling 200 - 500 W.

Sincerely,

Ron

Doug Hall <doughalldev at gmail.com> wrote:

>You should configure the image to include the applications that you
>want to
>run on the individual clients. Otherwise, the server itself runs the
>program. That's not what you want, or you could just use the server by
>itself. You're probably are talking about disparate machines anyway, in
>which case thin clients won't work. As I understand PXE boot mode, it
>requires a server on the same LAN.
>
>
>On Thu, Apr 11, 2013 at 11:23 PM, Doug Hall <doughalldev at gmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>> Ron, if the computers in question are on the same LAN, then it seems
>to me
>> that what you're describing is a thin client. Thin clients boot their
>> operating systems from an "image" that's served to them from a common
>> server. Customize that boot image to do what you want and you're set.
>>
>> <http://www.ltsp.org/>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Apr 8, 2013 at 9:46 AM, Ron Frazier (ALE) <
>> atllinuxenthinfo at techstarship.com> wrote:
>>
>>> **
>>> Hi Jay, and all,
>>>
>>> Thanks for this info.
>>>
>>> I also want to thank Leam H, Chuck P, Boris B, Jim K, and Jim L for
>their
>>> input as well.  Since I'm dealing with a Mint installation, based on
>>> Ubuntu, I'm going to focus on those solutions that relate to Ubuntu
>or
>>> Mint.  I tried the UCK (Ubuntu Customization Kit) mentioned in one
>of the
>>> other articles mentioned.  I couldn't get that to work.  Not sure
>exactly
>>> why.  I'll probably look into this remastersys product a bit more. 
>That
>>> might do the trick for me.
>>>
>>> I still haven't gotten my Mint machine doing what I want, mining
>digital
>>> coins.  It turns out that it's a real bear to get the ATI drivers
>working
>>> properly and get the miner working properly on Linux.  I'm going to
>keep
>>> working on that for a while.  Then, once it's working, I'll look
>some more
>>> at putting the whole thing on a CD.
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> Ron
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 4/7/2013 5:40 PM, Jay Lozier wrote:
>>>
>>> Ron
>>>
>>> This may be overkill. Remastersys will iso images of one's file
>system.
>>> Instructions to install the repository are at
>>> http://www.remastersys.com/ubuntu.html
>>>
>>> On 04/06/2013 08:46 PM, Ron Frazier (ALE) wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi guys,
>>>
>>> I've been away from email for a few days, so if anyone sent
>something directly to me, I'll have to get to you shortly.
>>>
>>> I need some linux geekery and wizardry extarordinaire.
>>>
>>> Let's say I want to create a custom linux install to do some
>specific unique task, like monitoring the weather, be a vpn, or maybe
>mine bitcoins.  So, say I boot a Mint 13 cd and either apt-get or copy
>programs and scripts to get the system working like I want and doing
>what I want.  Actually, I don't understand how you can install anything
>on a system which booted from a cd, but that's another story.  Anyway,
>assume the system is doing the task that I want.  However, the problem
>is, when I reboot, everything goes away, and I have to configure it all
>over again.  So, how do I change it so that I can save all my changes
>to another cd, and when I boot that one, the system is capable of doing
>the special task I wanted.
>>>
>>> I'm considering booting from a CD and, maybe, not even having a hard
>drive.  That means I don't have to worry much at all about maintenance,
>updates, and security, as long as it'd doing the task I want it to do. 
>Don't have to worry about hard drive failures and power failures
>either.  All the work I want the unit to do is network based.
>>>
>>> Any help is greatly appreciated.  Please keep your replies at the
>experienced linux beginner (relative to some of you) level.
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> Ron
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Sent from my Android Acer A500 tablet with bluetooth keyboard and
>K-9 Mail.
>>> Please excuse my potential brevity if I'm typing on the touch
>screen.
>>>
>>> (PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want
>to
>>> call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate
>energy
>>> mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new email messages very
>quickly.)
>>>
>>> Ron Frazier770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
>>> linuxdude AT techstarship.com
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jay Lozierjslozier at gmail.com
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Ale mailing listAle at ale.orghttp://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>>> See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists
>athttp://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> (PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want
>to
>>> call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate
>energy
>>> mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new email messages very
>quickly.)
>>>
>>> Ron Frazier770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
>>> linuxdude AT techstarship.com
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
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--

Sent from my Android Acer A500 tablet with bluetooth keyboard and K-9 Mail.
Please excuse my potential brevity if I'm typing on the touch screen.

(PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new email messages very quickly.)

Ron Frazier
770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
linuxdude AT techstarship.com